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Asian shares return to a positive run midweek Asian shares track Wall Street gains
(about 7 hours later)
Asian stock markets opened in positive territory on Wednesday, following markets in the US which ended their trading day higher. Shares in Asia rose as markets tracked gains seen in the US and Europe on Tuesday.
Strong results from major US firms together with rising shares for Apple helped boost investor sentiment on Tuesday. Confidence among US investors had been bolstered by strong results from major US firms, together with reports that the European Central Bank was mulling new measures to boost the eurozone.
The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose as much as 2% in morning trade on Wednesday. In Japan, the Nikkei index closed up 391.49 points, or 2.6%, at 15,195.77.
The positive streak comes after weeks of volatility on global markets. Sentiment in Japan was boosted by figures showing a rapid increase in exports last month.
In Australia, the ASX All Ordinaries was up by more than 0.8% before midday. Exports jumped 6.9% from a year earlier - the strongest rise for seven months - although the trade deficit for the month still widened.
Investors were pleased to hear that BHP Billiton, the world's third-largest supplier of iron ore, said it was on track to deliver production growth of 16% over a two year period, to mid-2015. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index ended 315.39 points higher, or 1.4%, at 23,403.97. However, in China, the Shanghai Composite fell 13.10 points to 2,326.55.
BHP's chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said the firm's "relentless focus on productivity" continued to yield strong results. In South Korea, the Kospi index closed up 21.69 points at 1,936.97.
Shares in the firm rose by more more than 1% in morning trade after it also reported a 17% percent increase in iron ore production in the three months to September, compared to the previous year. Financial markets in Malaysia and Singapore were closed on Wednesday for the Hindu holiday, Diwali.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was also up by 0.8% in morning trade, while in South Korea, the Kospi index was up by more than 0.5%. In Australia, the ASX All Ordinaries index rose more than 1% to 5,373.29.
Financial markets in Malaysia and Singapore are closed on Wednesday for the Hindu holiday, Diwali. The market was boosted by news from BHP Billiton, the world's third-largest supplier of iron ore, which said it was on track to deliver production growth of 16% over a two-year period, to mid-2015.
Elsewhere, stocks across Europe rose on Tuesday after a report said the European Central Bank was considering new moves to boost the eurozone's economy. BHP's chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said the firm's "relentless focus on productivity" continued to yield strong results. Shares in BHP rose 1.5%.
Reuters reported that the ECB was thinking of buying corporate bonds in the secondary market, a move which is seen as helping banks.